Harness buckle



J. w'. cRoNAN HARNESS BUCKLE Filed April '22.19.26

f4/955 144 Cleo/VAN Arme/vm Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UN'iED STATES JAMES W. CRONAN, 0F PORTAG-EVLLE, MISSOURI.

HARNESS BUCKLE.

Application filed April 22, 1926. Serial No. 103,909.

rfhis invention relates to harness buckles and more particularly to a combined backV band and trace chain fastener.

An yimportant object of the invention isA to produce a device of this character which will lsecurely clamp the back band without any tendency tok cut the same, which may be very readily and rapidly adjusted upon the back band and which may be independently operated to either adjust the trace chain or the back band without disturbing the other of these elements.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be readily and cheaply manufactured, which will be durable and ei'iicient in service and a general improvement in the art.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention employed to connect the back strap and trace chain of harness;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the buckle with the locking member in the open position;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

VReferring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a plate having at its side edges adjacentv its upper end outstanding flanges 11 which are formed with slots 12, for a purpose presently to appear.

In the plate above and below these slots are formed transversely extending slots 13 and 14 through which may be passed the web W of the back bandso that a portion thereof Q verlies the front face of the plate 10 between the openings 13 and 14. The plate adjacent the openings 13 and 14 is forced outwardly, as indicated at 15 and 16 so that the web would normally tend to lie in spaced relation to the front face of the plate. The lower end of the. plate has a narrow revert 17 confronting the front face of the plate in spaced relation thereto and having its upper end provided with an offset central arm 18 producing at thesides of the revert arms 19 arranged in the plane thereof. Between these arms a shoulder 2O is produced,

the purpose of which will presently appear. This plate may be constructed in any suitable manner, but, because of its formation,

is particularly adapted to a stamping operation. A lock 21 is provided comprising a channeled clement, one flange of which is toothed, as indicated at 22, and is adapted to engage the web` W between the openings 13 and 14 and force this web into engagement 65 with the front face of the plate. This flange has extensions 23 pivot-ally engaging in the openings 12 ofthe flanges 11 of' the'plate 10. The second flange of the channel, indicated at 24, is made of such length that when the first mentioned flange is in its web clamping position, this second ange tends also to clamp the web against the upper edge wall of the slot 14 so that the web is firmly held against movement. Movement of the locking member 21 to its locking positionA is limited by the engagement with the front faceof the plate 10 below the slotr14 of the angular end portion 25 of a handle 26 with which the locking member is provided as a means for rotating the same.

Slidable upon the handle 26 is a latch including a yoke 27 and bracing the handle and having an end wall 28 confronting the serrated flange at the under side of the 85 handle. Between the serrated flange and the end wall of the yoke a spring 29 is disposed and constantly urges the yoke and latch toward the Vfree end of the handle 26.

The lower end of this latch, when the may be withdrawn against the action of the 05 spring. by engaging with the fingers an angular flange 30 with the upper end of the latch.

The formation of the revert at the lower end of the plate. 10 produces a hook 31 100 which may be engaged in the links L of a trace chain andthe trace chain may be adjusted by simply sliding the latch upwardly to open the space ,32 between the upper end of the revert and the lower end of the handle. Similarly, when it is desired to adjust the buckle upon the back band, this may be accomplished without shifting the trace chain by simply disengaging the latch and swinging the handle to release the back 11G band and permit movement of the plate 10 thereon.

-l il Attention directed to the factthat the extensions Q3 of the locking member are flat and are so positioned upon the locking memberI that they extend tr:in-nersel)v ot' the Slots when the locking member is in the locking position aud longitndimillrI7 of the slots when the locking member is open. Thus, when the locking" member it: in the locking poSit-ion, it may partake oil' longh tudinal movement upon the plate l so that any tendency ofthe web lli" to slip will cause the teeth of the locking flange to approach the forwardly pressed portion l of the plate l0 and the second flange le to approach the upper wall of the slot l-l with the result that the web is more firmly grasped. Thus, it will loe noted that the forwardly pressed portions l5 and 1G of the plate while the locking` member is in locking position are arranged in confronting relation to the flanges of this locking member. It will, of couree, be obvious that the engagement of the flange 22 with the 'web will firmly hold the web against movement with relation to the plate l0 and any movement of the web which taires place muet take place above this flange. ln order to prevent sawing of the band against the portion of the plate lying above the upper slot i3 and consequent destruction of the band, a portion of the metal displaced in the formation of the slot 13 is left attached to the plate l0 at the upper edge of the slot, as indicated at 33, the junction of this flange with the rear face of the plate providing a rounded shoulder -l againet which the web may abut so that tendencjyT olf the web to wear will be materially decreased.

It will, of course, be obvious that the construction hcreinbefore :set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materiallyv departing from the spirit of the invention and l accordingl)T do not limit myself to auch specilie structure except as hereinafter claimed.

l. In a back band buckle, a plate formed with flangesv at the aide thereof, the plate having slots through which the back band ma;v be threaded to place a portion thereof at the same side of the plate as the flanges, a locking member pivoted between the flanges and inchuling a web engaging flange which, in the locking position of the lock ing member, is perliemlicularly dispoeed to the plate. the pivotal connection of the loching member with the flanges permitting longitudinal movement of the locking member upon the plate. and a forwardly pressed portion on said plate confronting the flange of the locking member when in the locking position.

2. ln a bach band buckle, a plate formed with tlanges at the side thereof, the plate having slots through which the bach band may be threaded to place a portion thereof at the same sido oi the plate as the flanges, a locking member pivotcd between the flanges and including a web engaging flange which, in the locking position of the locking member, is perpendicularly disposed to the plate, the pivotal connection of the locking member with the flanges permitting longitudinal movement of the locking mem ber upon the plate, a forwardly pressed portion on said plate confronting the flange of the locli'inp; member when in the locking position, the lower end of the plate having a revert forming a trace chain receiving hook, a handle for the locking member aligning with the terminal of the revert, and means slidable upon the handle for latching the handle to the revert.

3. ln a back band buckle, a plate formed with flanges at the side thereof, the vplate having slots through which the jhaelt band may be threaded to place a portion thereof at the same side of the plate as `the flanges, a locking Int-anbeii pivoted between `the flanges and including a web engaging flange which, in the locking position of the locl ing member, is perpendicularl)7 disposed to the plate, the pivotal comiectionfof the lockn member `with the flanges `permitting lon gitudinal movement of the locking member upon the plate, a forwardly pressed portion on said plate confronting the flangepof the locking member when .in `the locking position, the` lower end of the plate having a revert forming a trace chain receivino' hook, a handle for `the lockingmember aligning with the terminal of the revert, Vmeans Slidable upon the handle for latching the handle to the revert, and a spring between the -locking member and the latching means con; atantly urging the la tchingl means into engagement with the revert.

l. .in a bach band buckle, a plate formed with llanges: al the aide thereof, the plate having slots `through which the back band mav be threaded to place a portion thereof at the same side ol the plate asthe flanges, a locking memlfier pivoted `between `the flanges and including` a web engaging flange which, in the locking position of the .locking member, pci-pendicularly disposed to the plate, the `pivotal connect-ion of the locking member with the flanges permitting longitudinal movement of the locking member upon the plate, a forwardly projecting portion on Said plate confronting the flange of the locking member when in the locking position, the lower end of the plate having' a revert forming a trace chain receiving hook, a handle for the locking member aligning with the terminal of the revert, means slidable upon the handle for latching the handle to the revert, and a spring between the locking member and the latching means constantly urging the latching means into engagement with the revert and locking the flange toward the forwardly projecting portion of the. plate.

5. In a back band buckle, a plate having Slots through which the back band may be threaded to place a portion thereof at the front of the plate, a. looking member pivoted to the plate and engaging said portion of the band to hold the band against movement, the plate having a hook for engagement with a trace link, the locking member having a handle, and a latch shiftable upon the handle when the locking member is in the looking position and engageable with the bill of the hook to close the opening between the hook and the adjacent end of the handle of the locking member whereb the latch may be withdrawn to permit isen gagem-ent of the link from the hook without shiftinv the locking member from its 2U locking' position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

J AMES W. CRONAN. 

